GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – Three GRPS educators have been named the Jean Hamilton Cope Teachers of the Year.
The honorees are, Ena St. Germain at Burton Elementary School, Jennifer Hall at North Park Montessori Academy, and Whitley Morse at Ottawa Hills High School.
This annual award, established by generous donors Laurie and Mark Grand in honor of Laurie’s mother, former GRPS teacher Jean Hamilton Cope, recognizes outstanding educators. The honorees receive $1,000 and will be the district’s nominees for the Michigan Teacher of the Year Award.
St. Germain, the elementary school division honoree, has spent more than 35 years teaching at Burton Elementary School.
“I have students who are children of students I taught in the past,” St. Germain said. “That's one of the greatest honors is to have a student who I had who was in my room for a year come back and say, ‘I want my child in your classroom,’ because to me that says, I must have done something right while they were in there, and they're excited to have their child in my room.”
“She is everything that makes you love education,” explained Burton Elementary School Principal Amarena Nelson. “She inspires me every day to push myself to be better, to learn new things, to try new things.”
Hall, the middle school division honoree, has spent more than 20 years teaching at North Park Montessori Academy.
“She is somebody who truly drives the programing that we have here and has the heart of Montessori and North Park,” explained North Park Montessori Academy Principal Dan Morse. “She keeps that centered for all of us.”
“I choose to be and to stay with GRPS because the families are so supportive,” Hall said. “Our kids are great. My colleagues are amazing.”
Whitley Morse, the high school division honoree, recently returned to the classroom after spending time as an administrator.
“Mrs. Morse is just one of those rare educators who each kid knows that she really loves them and really cares about them,” explained Ottawa Hills High School Principal Timothy Mabin. “She knows what's best for kids. She's someone that we can depend on to making the right call.”
“My hope is that [when] students graduate I truly just want them to live happy, successful lives,” Whitley Morse said. “That can mean so many things for different students. Giving them the time and the space to figure that out, I think, is what high school is all about.”
